


HoneyBunches

by BlueBun27



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Bigotry & Prejudice, Culture Shock, Gen, Horrortale Papyrus (Undertale), Horrortale Sans (Undertale), Humans Are Terrible, I'm Sorry, Sans is scared of fireworks, Why Did I Write This?, grandma is blind without her glasses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:29:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25101691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueBun27/pseuds/BlueBun27
Summary: Axe had grown accustom to the scrum that littered the earth. Living among them after being freed was far from the happy ending his brother was hoping. Far from it. None of the humans seemed to care much for one another- much less monster kind. So it came to a surprise when he finds an old lady calling him son. He barely has time to speak before he gets wrapped into helping her get around town. The entire town doesn't have the heart to tell her the truth because its the happiest she's been since her husband passed away.A story of change and acceptance. Your family doesn't matter as long as you see them as your own.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This came to me after reading this prompt on pinterest and took a swing on the idea.

There are two things Sans hated about living on the surface. The first was the amount of wasted food he would find. The second was garbage that littered the streets, humans. Both seemed to go hand in hand.

Upon coming to the surface he's met with humans that we're horrified to see him. There was little to say but humans wanted nothing to do with them. Giving the monsters acres of forest to live in. Miles away from the city. And that's only because their savior was able to wiggle it into the agreement. In his opinion, it was for the best.

Monsters developed a town of their own. The only problem was ingredients are scares in the forest. Woodland creatures tended to migrate away leaving them a bit underfed. It was up to him to feed his people. Seeing them search the woods for hours and only to come back with a couple of berries to show for it, it was devastating. But he couldn't wait for the queen to find another way out. He needed to feed his ever-growing weak brother. So he decided to go to the city. He found ways past the city to catch some grub.

Finding out humans we're wasteful wasn't hard to imagine. But witnessing it was worse. Humans are nothing but terrible. Seeing them throw out perfectly good things on the streets. They throw away anything that so much as had a scratch on it. Honestly, he didn't mind the extra work, a quick patch job and he had a new jacket for the winter. A fresh paint job and he had a new table. All he needed was to fix it before it was good as new.

It filled him with disgusting. Humans were spoiled. While his brother starves for days, they leave food unfinished. He knew this after rummaging through dumpsters behind a fast-food restaurant. Seeing fully wrapped burgers thrown out left him crying in joy, finding tons of barely eaten food. When he was done he had 3 garbage full of food. He could barely carry it all back into the forest. His brother was waiting for him in their usual spot. His brother was in tears when he brought a half-eaten said for him.

On the bright side, his brother won't ever go hungry anymore.

The sounds of thunder crackling above him left his tense. A strong smell of charcoal lingered around him. Humans seemed to blow up things in the sky for entertainment recently. Calling things like sparklers or fireworks that lit up the night. Papyrus called them little miracles on the sky. He preferred to call them trash. He wasn't fond of stepping over the leftover residue of metal on the floor. The metal had a coating of ashes. The residue only gave Sans an eerie chill up his spine. They were only ashes, it wasn't dust from a lost monster. Relax. Taking time to take a deep breath before calling further into the night. 

Boom

The thundering sounds were coming closer to him. He needed to find a place to take cover before the fireworks grow louder. 

All these loud sounds were reminding him of the bad times. Each crackle only drew him closer into insanity. Bringing back memories of the hell they had to live down there. Remembering the cave-ins when earthquakes appeared in the underground.

Fireworks are added to the list of things he hated about the surface. One more thing to avoid on the surface.

A quick turn out of the alley, and he came faced with a small house. The lights were out. And there didnt seem to be any cars parked around it. Sans walked to the windows, one seemed to be cracked open. There wasn't any movement. He was in the clear.

The inside had a calming scent of flowers. He quietly closed the window behind him before going further. The walls were covered in plates and trinkets. A table was covered in candles of multiple sizes. Each one gave off a different scent. A few had a picture of a lady. He could feel the carpet hiding his location, passing around the room in silence. The place reminded him of his old one. Nothing could compare it but it did give off the feeling it's been lived in.

What kind of person would be living here? He found a sweater particularly made with the words 'love you always' stitched on it. The yarn laying on the couch indicated it was made over over time. He needed to leave soon before he was discovered. And yet, solving what kind of person lived in this small place couldn't leave his mind. 

Going to the next room. He found the kitchen and only to come face to face with a lady. She turned on the lights before she abruptly jumped back. An unmistakable sound of something falling to the floor. 

"-Oh I'm sorry, let me help you with that" Sans could hear an indistinguishable cracking sound underneath his feet. He looks over to see glass shattered and glasses on the floor. He picked up the broken glasses carefully. They were broken beyond repair. He cants afford to buy her a replacement. All he could do was wait for her to send him to jail for trespassing.

"Goodness honeybunches! You scared the day out of me. It's considered rude to walk in without knocking and much less entering" she patted at her chest, almost as if she was trying to calm it down. " but it was my fault for walking in the dark, you know me, I tend to not give much care"

Oh, shoot. What the hell is he going to go about this now? He could disappear now and make her look as if she was crazy. It would be funny to see her freak out and the cops could assume she was crazy, But she's seen his face so maybe a bolder approach could be better.

Currently, while he was questioned to either run like hell or scare the lady into silence. The old hag seemed to ignore him and walk over to the fridge. The ladies mild waddle as she pulled out a tray of cake from the fridge, placed it on the table, and continued to set up tea. This finally catches Sans's attention. The cake she placed by him looked scrumptious by the smell of orange and a hint of cranberries seemed to linger. The frosting on top looked to be white flower petals to be like roses. Did the lady make it? A pair of eyes stared at the monster. A soft clink could be heard softly in front of him.

"I'm so happy to see you finally came to visit, so I'll excuse you for your manners, now sit” he couldn't help but gawk, this crow must be crazy. Her wrinkly hands shaking as she tried pushing him toward a chair. The whole thing seemed like a trap.

" Do you like bunt cake? Last time I heard Neil saw you as thin as a stick, that city of yours must be stressing you out. Then again, it's been decades since you've seen Neil" Her voice grew quiet as she contemplated for a second before going back smiling up at him

“I know he would be over the moon to see you back here. And how tall you've grown." She tried to pat the top of his head but her hands couldn't reach past his shoulders. With a heavy sigh, Sans kneeled down. Her hands felt like tiny pillows as she gently petted his scalp. He got a better look at his captor as she petted his head. The dark hair she held had streaks of white on the side of her. But she seemed fairly young from afar. The crow's feet around her eyes indicated her age. Her eyes held a softness to it, making her gaze more tender as looked at him She was short but she seemed to be a bit hunched from his view of her.

She seemed unfazed by smooth texture. Gliding her hand over the few cracks and avoided the busted up hold in his head. "You were only to my shoulders at one point. Neil always said you were a late bloomer. Ha, he was right!”

Sans looked back at the cake. He couldn't help but be flustered by her words. It was a strange to get a compliment for his size but stranger to hear it from a human. Especially a small human-like her.

The lady sat next to him with two cups of tea. She sliced up a piece of the cake and placed it before him. Her eyes kept squinting almost as if she was trying to make out his face. How bad was the crow's vision? 

Sans placed the frames on the table. 

" I'm sorry but I broke your glasses" he didn't know what he admit that but it came out.

The crow as he preferred to call her, moved her hands to feel the frames and their lack of lenses. The crow kept smiling before taking a bite into the cake. Sans took it as safe to eat before taking a taste for himself. The soft cake still tastes freshly made. Even though the house smelled nice there was a lingering scent of mildew. Almost like it hasn't been maintained all that well. 

He looked around to see a few pictures by the fridge. Is that her? He failed to notice the picture of her and a man in their prime. Next to them was a young boy pouting. The lady seems to hold the same smile she held on those pictures. He felt a bit guilty for giving her false hope but the cake was heavenly and worth swallowing his guilt. 

"I'm sorry to say but Neil passed a month ago. If only you came sooner but I know work kept you busy, I'm just glad you came for your birthday this year" she got up and waddled on out. Her slippers squeaking against the wooden flooring. ” It's early, I'll be done with it soon"

She came back holding the sweater he saw on the couch. With better lighting, he could see it almost done except for one sleeve. The dark blue with the white letters looked nicer in the light. The sweater looked warm to the touch. It must have taken her a while with the detail it had.

"I remember you liked that blue on those cars on tv. Those challengers you called it? You said it was badass. Now you can be badass too" as she flipped it on the back to see a car on it and the words knitted on. Sans didnt know either to laugh or feel sorry for the crow.

"The car must be worn in" the crow seemed to light up even more at his lame joke. 

Sans use to throw puns left and right during these occasions, but now he's lucky to even remember one of them. The crow patted his arm as she placed another slice of cake on his plate.

"I hope you've been getting my letter or my holiday cards. You never write back so I was worried you changed address" she asked before taking a sip of her tea. Happily enjoy her drink. Sans had no clue how to respond. The crow continued "hopefully the previous gifts reached you during the holiday"

Sans nodded before stuffing more cake into his mouth. He looked around to see knickknack of glass figurines on a shelf above. The place was crawling with pictures of people but none of the boys anymore. 

"You never liked taking pictures together, the only one you let me take is on the fridge. You must be cold, let me get you a blanket" Sans could barely protest, came back with a knitted blanket. Before she wrapped it around him she slowly sniffed at him.

"Let me warm up a bath for you. You smell like a smoker, I'll wash your clothes as well" she grabbed his arm and dragged him upstairs. He kept pulling away from her grip but she didn't budge.

Soon he found her disappear into the rooms before he found a towel tossed to him. The towel seemed to be big enough for wrap around him. It was a worn-out beach towel but felt nice under his phalanges. He couldn't recall the last time he had a proper bath. All they had to go off was water from the stream, but he would find rocks or sticks getting stuck in the cracks of his bone. He preferred to bath in the falling water whenever it rained. He could hear her mumbling about spare clothes Neil left behind. She seemed to be in her element. Seeing her hop from one room to the next as she hummed a soft tune in between.

He could see steam coming out from one of the rooms. She popped out she had signaled for him to come in. The bathroom was full of tile and a single rug, by the bath. The tub was pulled in water with a whiff of peppermint. The tub had a few bubbles from the scents add it to it. He could see spare clothes on the side of the sink. Was he really going through with this?

"I'll give you, your privacy honeybunch" she spoke as she closed the door. Leaving him to contemplate the issue before him. For starters, the tub was definitely be used. He hopped in to feel his bones rattle under the warm water. He found the soap and slathered it on his ribs. Needing little assistance with his magic to get all the hard places. It was short-lived until his magic dropped the soap.

He still could use much of his power anymore. Monster food would be a good fix but that was far from here. Taking his time to finish wash the rest of his body. He unplugged the drain and dried himself off with the towel. Feeling refreshed once he wore the clothes on the sink. They fit him a bit snug but he wasn't gonna complain. It's been years since he had new clothes. And his old rags were starting to fall apart from the seams.

He walked out to see the old crow singing a melody as he heard machines thumping against the wall. His clothes spinning in a box with water and soap. The device seemed a bit scratched up and look like it could use some maintenance. He gave a slight cough to warn the crow of his presence. She turned around and grabbed on to his arm.

"It's going to be a while, how about you sleep in your old room tonight and we can catch up more tomorrow?" She smiled sweetly at him. "We can even go to the store together and catch up, what do you say honeybunch"

He honestly wouldn't mind going to the store. It probably wouldn't be so bad. Being hauled around by this crow. He didnt mind the idea but he needed to get back to his bro. Papyrus might be worrying about him and decide to go look for him. He can't have that. So what could he say to get out of this dumb mess? 

"I need to go back"

The crow stumbled a bit. The smile she had on faltered a bit. She kept quiet not answering him but she didn't voice her complaint. Quietly, she nodded before walking him to her doorstep.

"Alright, you can come back to pick up your clothes tomorrow" The lady's hands seemed to shake a bit under the cold air. Sans needed to leave but the crow seemed to remind him so much of Papyrus kindness. A kindness that earned a bit of appreciation.

Sans hunched down and places a small kiss on the ladies' forehead. This should be enough to sedate his own guilt. This brought an awe to come out of the crow's lips. She gently kisses on his cheekbone in return. A small smile returned to her face.

"I'll be back tomorrow to take you to the store. Just wait for me around dusk" he didn't know why he promised that but it felt he could do that much. He did owe her a trip for the kindness she gave him. It is only fair. His brother wouldn't have him be lazy about it. 

She nodded before waving him off. Her hands were wiping away the tears that formed around the edge of her eyes. He walked away feeling a bit fuller. He needed to tell his brother about it. The crow seemed harmless but he wasn't sure how to handle her. Humans never showed kindness to him. The crow had a piece of crap of a son but he didnt mind filling that position if he was given food in return. 

Sans was by the woods now. He stole a slice of the crow's cake for Papyrus to eat. Papyrus had a bigger sweet tooth than he did. And speaking of his favorite brother. He could see a tall dark figure blending with the trees. If it wasn't for the bright scarf that was hanging around his brother's neck. It would be impossible to know the difference between the two. 

"BROTHER YOUR LATE! I WAS WORRIED A HUMAN CAUGHT YOU OR WORSE!” his brother pulled him in for a hug. He appreciated it but he didnt wants his brother to worry about him. It was his fault for hiding from the explosions like a wimp. He just needed to be more careful. 

" I brought you some cake, and don't worry I had some" papyrus dug into the cake in seconds. Enjoy the soft treat against his mangled teeth. Easy for him to eat without any pain. Sans didnt like seeing his brother in pain when it came to chewing up solid food. He still couldn't believe Papyrus survived it all if it was for spaghetti. And the occasional snowman broth. 

"YOU LOOK SO CLEAN? DID YOU RUN INTO A CAR WASH?” Papyrus noticed once he was done devouring the cake. It was a surprise Sans almost forgot about that.

" No bud, I found a lady who mistook me for her son" Sans started to explain the whole story. On occasion having the hush his brother from interrupting him with questions. Making him save them all for the end. His brother smiled to hear about the crow and how she treated him. He had to pause a couple times to comfort his brother. Hearing his brother hiccup with tears over it was understandable.

"SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW SANS?”

He seriously didn't know. Maybe it will come to him tomorrow. In the meantime, he had to read fluffy bunny to Paps before bedtime. They headed over to their wooden hut to get some sleep. Maybe he could bring his brother tomorrow. Having a more chatty person other than himself. He couldnt wait to get his hoodie back.


	2. Sweet peaches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day in the life of Sans. It ain't easy being Sans.

At the crack of dawn, San hurried to get started on his chores for the day. He walked past the houses of their growing village. The wooden huts were simple but held well against the weather.

While some lived in the few tents the humans brought them. Most monsters were back underground waiting for housing. Right now it was a slow process. Not all monsters were given a chance to live on the surface yet. No one seems to mind. Sans and like many of their residents just appreciated seeing a sunrise and the endless stars in the night.

Sans went over to the board to see the jobs for today. It listed all the names of monsters and assigned jobs. Each monster was appointed a different job weekly, depending on their magic level. Normally monsters who still had an abundance of magic would help hunt or farm. A handful of monsters could still use their magic. All because of frisk.

Sans hated that kid. They were the cause of the hell that soon passed. They left them for dead for a few years. They didn't have souls anymore or their king. They had to wait to collect more souls. Waiting for years for a human to pass the underground.

In that time, food became scarce with the growing population. Not all monsters could survive and at one point famine settled in. But in those few years, monsters had to rely on their additional tank of magic to keep them fed for a while. Whatever they didn't use to maintain their body became their only source of food. He knows he had to skip on a few lunches so his brothers could eat for another day. It was a miracle that another human came down the underground.

Sans walked over to the board to see Papyrus and the ambassador there. It seemed both of them were studying the board. The kid seemed to have only woken up, with how they kept rubbing their eyes each time their hair would get in the way. The messy mop of hair was pointing in all directions. The kid looked like a monkey perched on his brother's shoulders. Funny to imagine this was their fearless savior. A small kid who ran away from an orphanage. Surviving their deadly puzzles and managing to free them from their prison. Strange that it was only a while ago that they escaped.

The human was the first to notice Sans. Her childish grin as she waved him over. She signaled Papyrus to let her down, she ran over to him in seconds.

"Sans! I'm in your group today! Let's go find trees to cut down, I'll go get the seeds okay!" Her childish grin as she pulled on him to follow her was entertaining. She was as skinny as the rest of them but sure had a strong grip. It reminded him of that old crow.

"MORNING BROTHER! I SEE YOU WOKE UP EARLY TODAY. GOOD JOB!"

"Thanks, Paps, are you still coming with me to hunt?" He meant meeting the lady in the city, but he says that in front of the kid.

"HUNT? I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO- OH! YESS HUNT! WE ARE TOTALLY GOING TO DO THAT. NOT GONNA MEET A NICE PERSON AND EAT YUMMY TREATS"

Real cool paps.

"Yea, let's meet back here okay?"

"OKIE DOKIE! ONCE I'M DONE FISHING WITH MY TEAM. SEE YA SOON BROTHER!" Papyrus nodded as he ran to pick up some supplies. Sans had to go in the opposite direction.

"Slow down there kiddo, I won't be able to ketchup if you do" Sans pulled out his favorite bottle before taking a swig of it. "What's the rush lamb chop?”

Sans knows the child hated being called that. Seeing their face scrunch up from it, it was a nice treat to see. Kiddo wasn't having any of it. She began to pout. She signaled for him to pick her up. There were slight scratches on her hands as she reached for him.

" Not unless you want to hear me workshop ideas on what to call you kiddo" Sans wagged his non-existent eyebrows. It was satisfying to see the kid look at him in disgust. He ruffled her feathers with that one. "How about T-bone or pork chop huh, any good?"

"That last one isn't even original! Why don't you use my name instead!?" The kid walked up ahead "Please, no more food names"

The child was running away from him.

Heh. Good. The farther away she is the better.

Sans didn't have much energy to keep the charade. Once the kid disappeared into one of the tents for their things he began to relax. Sans hunched a bit to rest.

He knows the kid is good and would never harm them. But that can't be said for himself. He can't help but think back.

He can't recall how many times he's injured them underground. Or worse the countless times he's almost killed them. This kid isn't like frisk. For starters, they don't have a determined soul. Theirs was a soft green soul, and with it, their power was healing. And a good thing too because that was the only way she survived their hell. Healing themselves and running away. But he could still see some of her wounds didn't heal over time. Even when her magic improved.

Sans could still see the scars all over her arms. He couldn't help but feel vile whenever he sees them. Each one of them came from him. He could even tell with what weapon. And yet the kid still had the heart to free them.

So now he's stuck trying to swallow his guilt while helping them out. It's up to him to pretend to be the happy monster for her. It's the least he could do for their little savior.

Sans took one more swing at his ketchup bottle before heading over to the tent to look for the kid. He couldn't have them lugging all the lumber by themselves. Their goat mom would burn them to a crisp if he did that.

In no time, they made it to the forest to cut down some trees for lumber. Each tree they took down fell with the breeze. The kid seemed to calm down after he promised to not call her any names. At least until work was done. He aimed his ax to chop the next victim. While he began chopping down more trees, the kid got working on planting some saplings nearby. In order to keep their environment growing.

Originally the Queen focused on feeding her people, weak monsters that survived needed food first. So they hunted game and made a feast to celebrate their freedom. It lasted for a few weeks. Finding prey soon became slim. This led to Fishbait to rethink her plan.

Queenfish face promptly decreed that they had to plant each time they took a tree down, in order to preserve the wildlife. It was with the help of the kid that they learned a bit of agriculture. With the loss of their king who knew of plants, they had to rely on their human for answers. Their knowledge was limited to a few things.

The kid decided to make a team of healers to grow crops and plant nursery. That way, they can grow food until the wildlife comes back. Monsters like him who had magic to spare were chosen to focus on farming or hunting.

"Okay Sans, only 2 more trees to go, I'll go plant these saplings and we should go and help the other group"

Sans swung to knock a tree down, and it fell with a thud. That makes it his fourth one. He turned back to see the kid squatting next to a sapling, her hands were glowing with the sapling.

Oh no

"Kid"

She didn't seem to be listening. The sapling was maturing before her eyes. The kid seemed to grow tired as the tree grew.

"Kid!"

Sans rushed over and pulled the kid away from the growing tree. The sapling had grown to be a tree as tall as him. He hauled the kid over his shoulder. This kid still dazed by abusing their power. This isn't how he expected them to use their magic. A reckless move on their part.

"Bunt cake you alright?"

The kid nodded as they looked up. Not looking at him but at the tree. Sans followed her gaze to see flowers growing on the tree. Small pink flowers bloomed on a few branches. It looked fragile and could be struck down with a flick of his finger.

"It's a peach tree, I was hoping it would sprout fruit" their voice shaking as the kid's eyes watered. "I thought it would help with food, but I wasn't strong enough"

The kid couldn't stop wiping away the tears that flooded their face. This was not what Sans had in mind when he agreed to take the kid. Sans didn't know how to comfort them. So he did what he knew best. Puns.

"What kind of tree fits in your hand? A palm tree" this got a light chuckle from them. It was a start. "Why was the weeping willow sad?"

The kid tilted their head before asking why.

"Because they saw a sappy movie" the kid fell silent but a smile formed on their lips. That's all the confirmation he needed to continue.

"This may sound sappy kid, but we are rooting for you no matter what" Sans ruffled their hair "So don't worry about it, anyway where did you get a peach pit?"

"A nice man gave me a variety of seeds at the meeting. He said it could help us with growing crops, and I found a peach pit with it" the kid explained.

The kid was still wiping away their tears. But he could tell they were calming down. With his free hand, he grabbed one of the fallen trees. He could carry it back to camp and come back later for the rest. He needed to drop off the kid back to their tent.

"Ok, let's drop you off to catch on some zzz. Okay, kiddo" the kid nodded as they climbed up his arm and perched on their shoulders. Grabbing his face, making sure to avoid the cracks.

He walked back to camp to see everyone had scattered to their groups. Different monsters were on the surface today. A few he believed were still living in the underground. It must be driving them crazy to stay belowground. In Sans's opinion, rotating the jobs could help their citizens have a chance to be outside more. Boosting hope that could prevent them from dusting. But that's all up to fish breath to decide.

Sans walked back. He recognized Grillby's shop from a distance. He could spot a filthy shirt and a best on a certain flame monster. Looked like the flame monster was still working on maintenance on their newly built bar. The flame monster was hammering down a few nails on the sign. It read Grill so far. The rest of the letters were on top of a box next to Grillby.

"Hello Grillby, are you almost done setting up shop?" He could see the flame monster turn around and waving before shaking his head. "Bummer I was hoping to get some fries"

Grillby moved his hands quickly "Pay tab and later" he finally noticed the kid as she greeted him. The flame monster quickly changed his gestures "Are you okay human?"

"Nah, she overworked herself again, don't worry she's under uh-rest" Sans cut in. The kid blew a raspberry in response. They continued to answer Grillby.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking"

Sans stayed quiet so the kid could talk to Grillby. It was a surprise to see Grillby answering them in sign language.

That was one of the few things the humans gave them when they first came in contact. Humans couldn't speak their native tongue. Only those who passed through the underground could gain access. Or at least that's his theory. The kid wouldn't say how she understood them and frankly, he didn't care enough to pursue it. All he knows is Grillbys getting better with communicating. The flame seemed to regain some of his old golden hues.

Sans looked up at the kid to see them blow a kiss at the flame monster to bid them goodbye. This followed by a burst of flames spouting up by the flame monster. Grillby returned his attention to his beloved sign. Poor grillby.

Sans walked over to the tents to see Toriel barking at one of the representatives from Ebbot city. Her eyes were glowing red and appeared enraged the closer he got to goat lady.

"If we can't set foot on the city, how else are we gonna be able to trade with your people? Isn't there a way for us to agree on something" the previous queen was practically yelling at this point as she pleaded. The man didn't budge.

"I'm sorry but if your people were to set foot onto the city, it could lead to mass panic" the man failed to notice her as she rolled her paws into fists.

"Your appearance is a big issue. The majority of your people have sharp claws or teeth. Their appearance alone will cause panic or riots. How do you expect the people will react to seeing a giant terrifying monster offering them pies? You expect them to accept it? What happens if one of you attacks? Our mayor isn't willing to risk it. I suggest you ask for something else" The human waited for her retort but she seemed deflated by the answer. She looked down at her paws. Her claws seemed to be out.

"No, let me talk to the queen and see. When is a good time for you to come back?" Toriel sighed as she grabbed a sketchbook by the table, grabbing a crayon nearby. The representative looked over his magical box. Flipping through, until he stopped at one.

"In 3 weeks tops, good day miss" the man left in a hurry over to the car nearby.

Toriel nodded before waving him off. The fur on her shoulders was sticking up. If this was the underground Sans knew Toriel would have killed this man on the spot for pointing out her claws. It's one of the few things that was a sore subject for the goat lady. She took a deep breath before clapping her hands and letting out a breath. Sans waved her down as she scooped the kid from his shoulders. The former queen seemed to loosen up once the child was back in her care. She softly cooed at their 'child'. The kid nuzzled up to them. Both seemed to giggle at the sudden affection. Soon Toriel was back to her old lady self. A scary transformation but one Sans had grown used to. It was a good thing he brought back the kid. He didn't want to deal with another forest fire, again.

"Sorry, you had to see that. It's just politics, we can't come to an agreement in monster trading" Toriel explained with a tired smile.

"Why isn't fish sticks talking to the rep guy?"

This let Toriel snicker as she thought back to something.

"She can't anymore. Not after she challenged the last human to arm wrestling and broke his arm" toriel scratched her cheek. "All because I didn't correct the human when he called me queen"

"Uhh fine, I'll leave you with the little squirt" Toriel hummed in agreement.

In truth, Sans wasn't sure why Toriel didn't just return as their queen. The monsters weren't angry against humans anymore. And Undyne could use the downgrade in status. That snapper was crazier than the rest of them now. Especially when the alphys disappeared.

"Well, I should put them down for a nap. I assume they pushed their limit again?” her tone slightly threatening. Yup, he was in trouble.

" yea, they wanted to help with rations again" this changed her tune quickly. Her face held a look of sadness for a sec before going back to normal. The goat tsked at the kid as she walked away. Lecturing them on magic usage for the third time this week.

Sans walked back to finish up his work. There are a few more things to be done before he could call it a day. He needed to find Papyrus before he took off to meet the crow. Sans didn't want to face her without him.

By the time he was done building another home for a family of bunnies, he left to check the board. Papyrus still wasn't done with his chores. It was his bros turned to go fishing with Catty's team. So he won't make it back until later. He needed to leave now if he wanted to make it on time. So he left Papyrus a note by the door. There was always next time. Maybe he could introduce his brother later. So in a flash, he shortcutted to the entrance of the city.

The city was the busiest during this hour. People running around in a hurry. All of them were either talking to their magical boxes or glued to the screen. He made sure to have his back up hoodie on. Blending in with the crowd. With each twist and turn he felt a little safer.

Walking among the crowd was essential in not getting caught. No one suspected him being a monster. All he had to do was blend in with the outcast that human kind prefer to avoid. All he needed was his old ketchup stained hoodie to do it.

He learned that humans tend to avoid certain people. Normally those with outdated stuff on them. Humans that had patched up clothes or greasy looking furs. Those types got the least attention. He saw one guy go so far as ignore a guy when they asked for help. It was the perfect disguise for him.

He walked among the crowd. No one paid any attention to him. A few would avoid walking on the same sidewalk as him. Everyone got out of his way. He couldn't have it any other way.

He made sure to wear the clean clothes under his hoodie. So the lady didn't suspect him of not being her son or sending him to a bath. He didn't want to take a bath again.

Sans could see the crow from a distance. She was sitting on a chair as she rocked herself back and forth. The lady's gaze never focused on one point. It seems she's scanning for something.

He took off his hood once he was in close proximity. The crow smiled tenderly at him, she walked up to give him a hug. Her voice grew as she pulled away.

"You came! I was growing worried that you wouldn't be able to make it" her hands gently rubbed his cheekbone "I'm glad your back, I got a surprise for you!"

The lady pulled out a baseball cap from her purse. Sans examined it for a sec. It was a black hat with a cheeseburger holding some type of stick. He couldn't help but chuckle at the cheesy hat ware. The lady seemed to take it as a good thing before she continued.

"Remember we bought you this hat at the game and it was twice your size. I found it when I cleaned up your room a bit. Try it on, I hope it fits honey"

Sans was reluctant to put it on. He looked back at the lady as she waited for him to put it on. He didn't have much of a choice. It seemed to fit his head. It even masked the crack on his head nicely.

"Uh, thank you"

He couldn't help but feel his face grow warm under her gaze. Was it normal for a mom to do this? He couldn't even remember his own mom acting this kindly.

She cooed as she inspected it up close. Complimenting him and raving about him being handsome it was enough to turn him blue. He couldn't help but glow as bright as a star from her words. She grabbed his arm and began shuffling over to the garage.

"Let's go, I can't wait to properly catch up over dinner. I can't wait to hear all your adventures! We can go to old Larry's place and get some ribs, my treat!" She opened the door to see a red car. It looked just like the one his brother always wanted to drive.

"Wait, should we go get your glasses fixed?" That was the whole point wasn't it? For him to pay her back by taking her there.

She seemed to think it over for a second.

"We can do that later, I'm starving and could really use a break from cooking honeybunch"

There was a small feeling of ease to hear that. He could help but smile as he followed her to the car. There was no way he was saying no to free food. But he still wasn't sure what she meant by catching up.

I'm the next chapter

The fine art of lying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a different human was the one to free them. And I would like to hear your suggestions on their name.


	3. The art of lying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> let's dish out what's coming to you.

Seeing the crow's car shouldn't surprise him. Seeing cars was something Sans had grown used to. The dozens that pass him by, were all a blur. None of them caught his attention. And yet this one he couldn't look away. It reminded him of his brother's bed.

He could still remember the first time he brought it home for his brother. His brother was grinning for weeks.

The body was stocky like his brothers but there were a few changes to this contraption that his brother lacks. For one, its engine makes a sound similar to the human's stomach when the crow brought it to life. 

And the inside had seats all beaten up from the years it's been used. But he could see it was handled with care as a few scratches had nicked the car.

He could feel an ache at the bottom of his stomach, feeling weaker the closer he came into contact with the car. 

If only his brother could see it now. The poor boy would cry if he saw his dream car. If only he waited maybe his brother would be here with him right now. But, he couldnt risk his brother blowing his cover. His brother wasnt great at suppressing feelings. He could already imagine him screaming in joy, and his screams always boomed.

The crow patted the seat next to her signaling him to sit down. He hurried over. To his surprise, the car was bigger on the inside. The seats practically hugged him the moment he sat down. 

He could get used to this level of comfort. And with the top down reassured him his bro could enjoy it too.

Crow drove out. They started going down the road. The feeling of wind flowing past his skull felt liberating. Even if the crow was driving like a snail on the road. Sitting never felt more luxurious. He didn't need to use any magic to move or put any effort. For once he could appreciate human contraption without terrible repercussions.

"Ooo let's put on some tunes, We're not living until we have it on full blast! Or thats what Neil used to say" Her voice grew quiet, from a glance it seemed like the crow was lost in thought, but he could see her eyes grew warm as she began to smile. "He was a crazy man, but I love that bean"

As the crow slowly sped up, he kept thinking back to the underground. He's seen pictures in books about these vehicles, whenever he went dumpster diving for Papy. Only to finally be sitting on one. Papyrus would kill him the moment he got back and tell him about the journey.

Sans never knew hitching a ride was more enjoyable than a shortcut. Besides his usual short cuts, it felt nice to feel some speed, the car would bump along with the road. The crow soon chats up a storm about the diner they were going to. Talking about the owner being a close friend. Her voice would shake with the car. It was fun to see as she told her stories. So far he learned that Larry was an old friend. They grew up a state over.

During her time she was planning to become a therapist and work with children. Those struggling with motor skills and speech. Whatever she learned she would apply those techniques to Larry's little sister Dolores. Dori appreciated the new playmate. Whenever crow came over she would help Dolores while Larry cooked a meal as thanks. This led to many trips to their house.

He found it interesting to hear his cooking far surpassed the crow's mother at a point. 

Once they graduated, Crow planned to go to the university out of state. This motivated Larry to open up about his dream to his parents. He explained to his parents about it. The parents were against it. 

This led to Larry opening a diner a state over, out of spite for his parent's dreams for him to become an engineer. Larry in a sense preferred flipping burgers to work on cars. After the diner grew successful, he settled down. And now his son took over the family business.

"I remember how proud Larry was when he learned his kid wanted to cook. It's funny how over time the kid picked up a love for it too. His mom would always rave about it during open house"

She chatted away, he occasionally nods.

The sun was almost gone now. He should be able to blend in a bit. He had no idea what to do. Walking into a place filled with humans left him feeling on edge. Any magic that he had left was for him to teleport out of there. If things go too far.

"Honey, we're here!" 

The crow had stopped at a small building. There were flags and colorful lights. In bright lights, it read Toffee. The place had some charm to it. 

Walking in was a different experience. The place had a couple of people in booths. Most were hanging around the bar. Lights seemed to be a bit dimmed. This put him at ease, at least for a bit. No one seemed to notice them yet. The people paid no mind as they walked. 

He looked down to see the crow wrapped her arms around his as she led him to a table by the windows. It seemed people looked up to smile at her and follow it with a look of confusion. He tried to ignore the stares that followed them around as they made their way there. People grew quiet as he passed their table. He could hear the whispers from others farther by. Once he helped her sit down, he settled into his own seat. He paid no attention to the girl hesitating to come to their table. Even when she tripped from being distracted.

The crow seemed oblivious to the patrons. She pulled a menu that was hidden away behind the flower vase. She placed it in front of him. He immediately opened it and placed it down moving it so they both could see the menu. He didn't want to be rude. He would prefer to hide most of his face right about now. 

Anything before he blew his cover. But, the lady did agree to feed him, so he needed to play nice. He could already tell his stomach wasn't gonna be kind to her wallet. The crow quickly moved the menu back to facing Sans. 

"Pick whatever you like hun, I already know what I'm getting dear" Her voice hushed. She began to hum along to a song that played nearby.

He looked at the list. The pictures of certain options made it easier to read. All he could find appetizing was the meat sliders and chicken wings, but he was curious about their sweet potato fries. 

"Welcome to Toffees! Our special of the day is the cream of chicken soup. Can I start you with drinks?" The lady rehearsed as she turned to the lady. He couldn't help but notice her eyes looking his way. Or that her eyes were avoiding his way. He made sure to hunch more. Taking extra precautions to keep his face hidden. He didn't want to turn to dust anytime soon.

"Well me and my son here would like to start with some water. Could you get us some bruschetta while we wait? Thank you" 

The waitress now looked puzzled before nodded at the both of you. She barely took a glance your way before sprinting away. She called back. 

" I'll fetch it right up"

Sans let out a breath he didnt know he was holding. If he was back to his full self he would be cracking jokes right now, but all he could do is tap on the table. 

Tap

Tap

It took everything inside him to stay calm. The feeling of everyone watching only made his instincts want to kick in. He looked around to see two exits so far he could use. The main entrance was starting to get crowded with people coming in. The door across from the door the waitress ran to was 

Tap 

tap 

tap

"So honeybunch, how's the girlfriend? She isn't giving you any trouble?"

Girlfriend?

Not once did Sana consider being in a relationship. He's had feelings before but too lazy to act on them. He would always blow it off as a waste of time. Just wishing for someone to make the first move. Yeah, no never happened.

**_"Uh not exactly. We are seeing other people_ **" 

The crow looked a bit confused. This only made him feel worried. Did he say the wrong thing?

"Congrats! She was no good for you anyway."

She clamped her hands as she chuckled. He could see a tear escape. The crow wiped it away. Sans didn't know what to say. The crow seemed to be in a good mood though.

"Sorry honey, whenever you came over. She would be with you. Didnt have much manners if you asked me" she took a moment to calm her breathing "I'm glad, where are you staying? I'm assuming she kicked you out"

"Heh, don't worry ma"

There's no way he could tell her that he lives in the woods. Theres also the question of monsters. How much have the people been told about them?

**"I live with friends right now. Oh, look the waitress!"**

Indeed their waitress was bustling over with their waters. She seemed to be in a better mood. People seem to acknowledge her as she passed them. The smile she wore was bright. That is until she completely passed their table. 

Instead, another guy came rushing their way. This guy had a bit of a limp. If this was the underground he would be easy pickings. No that's wrong.

Sans tried to ignore those tempting thoughts growing with his hunger. And focus on the man. He seemed to beam at the crow as he brought their drinks and appetizer.

"Now is that my favorite customer! Honey! You should've called sooner. I could've welcomed you in!"

"Oh hun, quit while you're ahead. Flattery will get you nowhere. I came in last week." The crow grew energetic. "You know I always loving coming to your place"

"Damn right! If only the critics shared your enthusiasm. I had one come yesterday. I thought he would write something in the paper. But they keep saying I don't bring anything unique to the table. I've been busting my butt for them. They don't know a good meal if it bit them in the- wait who's this fella?"

The man stared at Sans. It wasn't hostile but it only made him anxious. Sans tried to move closer to the far end of the booth. Keeping his face hidden with the shadows.

"That's my honeybunch. He finally came to visit. We've been catching up" she ushered him to greet the man. "Sweetie, this is my friend I was telling you about" 

"I take it she said nothing but good things?" He brought his hand out. Sans slowly took it. He could feel the man squeeze his hand. Sans tried to copy the man's gesture.

"You got quite a grip kid, ow"

" **Yes… sorry"**

Just another thing he needed to work on. He quickly released the grip of the old man. The man looked a bit shocked but continued.

"So where have you been hiding? Your mom's worried sick about you. And have you told him about Neil? He should have been here"

  
  


Tap

Tap 

  
  


"Leave him alone. You're smothering him, that's my job." Crow cooed.

Sans didn't know how to answer that. He tried to focus on the menu in hopes of an answer. Until he heard a familiar voice. He looked around until he found the tv screen. He's seen those men. They were those same officials Toriel was talking to. The two men were talking to each other, a lady came over.

"So what's happening on mount ebbot? You seem to be talking about building something?" The reporter asked as she faced the screen. 

"We are building a nature preserve. We have yet to reveal anything as we are waiting for our people to finish scouting the land" he smiled as he turned to whisper to the guy next to him. The man next to him nodded.

The lady moved closer as she moved the mic closer to the second man's face.

"What about the mountains curse? And how people go missing." Before the man could answer she continued " My sources say that they recently heard voices and shrieking in those woods"

Sans tried to hide his smile. Those sounds could only be papyrus. From all those times kiddo would always try to surprise papyrus with discovery about the surface. Papyrus would shriek for joy any chance he got. And at some point, everyone else in town found it funny. It always cheered him up to see his brother happy. 

But this didn't add up, haven't the people heard about them? This man told them to wait for approval from the mayor. So they could finally come into the city. That man barely provided any help.

"We aren't ready to disclose that information with the people, now I must head off" the man tried to sprint over to a vehicle nearby.

"Wait, mayor one last question" she grabbed on to the man.

TAP

TAP

TAP

TAP

"At least tell your people what your men discovered in mount ebbot. Please we want to know what is up there" the lady pleaded as the screen made a close-up on her face "Our viewers demand an answer. They fear what's out there. Help me put their fears to rest" 

The camera moved to focus on the mayor. He withered away from them. The coward let out a sigh.

"We recently came in contact with a tribe. And are still settling on what to do with them. No more questions" 

The screen changed to focus on the weather.

"Uh, Cornwallis is barely telling us about the mountains" a nearby customer sighed.

"I wonder why those tribal people haven't come down the mountains?" Larry questioned as he held a remote in his hand " maybe they are scared of people"

Sans couldn't help but nod.

" **They struggle but that man has barely made an effort to help them. It's exhausting"** Sans immediately realized his mistake.

Larry and a few people turned to him. They looked to be waiting on him to continue.

The crow grabbed Sans's hand. He couldn't help but look away at her face. It held a tender smile.

"You met those people? So you must be working for the mayor" the crow asked.

**"You could say that. I'm only around to make sure everything runs smoothly** " he's helpped fish breath from killing those men the first time they met them. 

Tap, tap, tap, tap

This new discovery only pissed him off. His friends weren't given a chance. No one knows about their existence. What's worse is that man promised toriel that he would talk to the mayor. All this time it was a lie. They met the mayor and couldn't persuade him. They could be interacting with the city by now if it wasn't for him. That no good LIAR. 

TAP 

TAP

"Well, I assume he's hiding this until he gets reelected as mayor huh. Typical."

Added the waitress as she passed them by.

While everyone was going back to their conversations, sans couldn't help but feel someone eyeing him 

"Now that's enough. Sweetie let's order up" 

The crow orders her usual. Sans could only point at the menu pictures. He could barely utter a word. His mind was exploring every single encounter. Maybe a slip-up or two from the guy but nothing. How could he tell everyone back home about this?

Sans looked up to see the crows lightly padding his hand. She sounded like she was mumbling something. He leaned closer to see she was saying a prayer. The crow smiled as she opened her eyes.

"You look so worried honeybunch. I couldnt help but try to ask for some strength for you" the crow said as she grabbed his hand.

Sans didn't know what to say. He never believed in much. But he did appreciate the lady trying. It was in vain. But he felt his soul flutter. Almost like her hand was pulsing magic into him.

The night ended with him stuffing his face with food. The crow would pass him paper to clean his face. He tried to avoid the look larry was giving him when they left. The guy hasn't pieced everything together but sooner or later, he should hopefully be able to return his debt to his "mom" be for then.

Once he tasted the night air, he felt safe. The crow drove them back. The ride was slowly lulling him to sleep. He couldn't help but close his eyes. The crow turned up the tunes to some jazz.

BOOM 

The blast woke him right up. He looked around frantically where the blast came from. He could hear thundering sounds in the distance. Echoes of multiple blasts filled the air. He tried to shield himself from the sounds by bringing up the radio. 

" The fireworks look so pretty outside. They are leftover from yesterday" the crow parked it nearby to get a look at them. She gently padded his grasping hand.

Wait when did he reach out for her hand? She continued.

"Neil would of loved this. If only his cancer didn't beat him in the end. They are pretty tonight aren't they hun" Sans could see the lady wipe her eyes. He looked up and saw flowers fill the air in different hues. 

He never bothered to look up before. But now he couldn't look away. 

They watched until the last one faded from the sky. They came back to her house as he walked her to her door. 

"Thanks for dinner mom. We should go get your glasses tomorrow" 

"You're not going to stay?" The lady deflated as he nodded. "Oh, I guess you have work in the morning. Come by when you can tomorrow, goodnight honey. I love you" 

She attempts to kiss his cheek. Sans moves away. 

"I will. Get some sleep crow"

The lady giggled a bit.

"Aww you don't want me to embarrass you in front of your friends huh, alright" she looks over and waves at them. "I didn't know someone was gonna pick you up. You should give them a slice of a cake before you go" 

The lady waddled over inside. Sans turned around to see the kiddo and Papyrus waving as they came over.

_"SORRY BROTHER. I CAME BUT I NEEDED THE KIDS HELP FINDING YOU"_

Sans wasn't sure to be mad or scared for his brother. It's difficult blending in this town. And with his height, it's impossible not to get noticed. 

"Whose that sans?" 

**"She's my mom kiddo"**

The crow waddled back with a container. She passed it over to Papyrus. 

"Thank you for helping my son. A friend of his is always welcomed here" 

_" _WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO!_ " Sans _ grabbed his arm as he shook his head. _"ITS GETTING LATE AND THE KID NEEDS THEIR SLEEP_ " 

The child yawned as she rubbed her eyes. 

The crow looked disappointed before quickly perking up.

"That's fine, handsome. Just make sure to stop by, we can talk more next time."

And with that, they left for the woods. Sans stayed quiet while the two feasted on the cake. There was a lot he didn't know about humans. But at least he has a better idea of what they are up against. He hates that he has to tell the queen the bad news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays everyone! And hope your day is merry!

**Author's Note:**

> She was singing.  
> That's life by Frank sinatra.


End file.
